Navigate Noonsite

  • Home
  • Member Benefits
    • Login
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • About Noonsite
    • About Us
    • Contacts
    • Newsletter
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Newsletter
  • Latest News and Reports
    • Latest News
    • Latest Reports
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Cruising Resources
    • Books
    • Charts
    • Circumnavigation
    • Courtesy Flags
    • Communications
    • Covid 19
    • Cruising Information
    • Cruising with Children
    • Cruising with Pets
    • Cruisers Websites
    • Documents Required
    • Equipment
    • Environment
    • European Union
    • Global Yachting Services
    • Insights
    • Insurance
    • Piracy and Security
    • Portrait of a Cruiser
    • Rallies
    • Routing
    • Safety and Medical
    • Weather
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Countries by Region
  • Explore Sint Maarten
    • Profile
      • Facts
      • Security
      • Weather
      • Explore Sint Maarten

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • Formalities
      • Clearance
      • Immigration
      • Customs
      • BioSecurity
      • Health
      • Fees
      • Restrictions
      • Clearance Agents
      • Pets
      • Explore Sint Maarten

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • General Info
      • Time Zone
      • Yachting Essentials
      • Money
      • Communications
      • Transport
      • Diplomatic Missions
      • Events
      • Emergencies
      • Publications
      • Links
      • Explore Sint Maarten

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • Update History
      • Update History
      • Date Last Edited
      • Last Edited By
      • Explore Sint Maarten

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • Related User Comments
    • Related Reports
    • Related News
    • Regions and Ports
      • Oyster Pond
      • Philipsburg
      • Simpson Bay
      • Explore Sint Maarten

      • Profile
      • Formalities
      • General Info
      • Update History
      • Related User Comments
      • Related Reports
      • Related News
      • Regions and Ports

        Explore More

      • Countries and Ports
      • Find a Business
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Countries and Ports
  • Find a Business
  • Find News
  • Find a Report
  • Find a Comment
Loginor Register

The Ultimate Cruisers Planning Tool

Register for free Login 23020 Members
How to add an anchorage?
Noonsite Needs You! COVID-19: Open/Closed Countries

Explore: Sint Maarten

  • Profile
    • Facts
    • Security
    • Weather
  • Formalities
    • Clearance
    • Immigration
    • Customs
    • BioSecurity
    • Health
    • Fees
    • Restrictions
    • Clearance Agents
    • Pets
  • General Info
    • Time Zone
    • Yachting Essentials
    • Money
    • Communications
    • Transport
    • Diplomatic Missions
    • Events
    • Emergencies
    • Publications
    • Links
  • Update History
    • Update History
    • Date Last Edited
    • Last Edited By
  • Related User Comments
  • Related Reports
  • Related News
  • Back to Country List
  • Back to Main Ports
Previous Page

Facts

  • COVID-19 coronavirus: New procedures are in place for arriving yachts – see Biosecurity for details.
  • One of the northern Leeward Islands, this small island is shared between two nations. The southern third (Sint Maarten), is now an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the northern part (St Martin), belongs to the French départment of Guadeloupe.
  • Since becoming an autonomous country, Sint Maarten now has a new flag (red over blue with a white triangle at the halyard).
  • Sint Maarten has a population of 40,120 with the most populated areas being Lower Prince’s Quarter (north of Philipsburg), followed closely by Cul de Sac.
  • The official languages are English and Dutch. Spanish, Creole, Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) and French are also spoken.
  • Netherlands Antillean Guilder or florin is used as currency. For specifics see General Info.
  • Time zone in Sint Maarten (GMT-4). For specifics see General Info.
  • The island has a tropical marine climate with steady northeast trade winds and moderate temperatures; average rainfall of 150 cm/year; hurricane season stretches from July to November. For specifics see Weather, below, for more info.
  • Sint Maarten is more developed than St Martin and cruising attractions include great restaurants, beach bars, white sand beaches, rainforests, coral reefs, and a fascinating colonial history.
  • This is a duty-free island, so prices are competitive and parts and spares are easily imported. The island has skilled marine tradesmen and a large number of marinas, boatyards and chandleries with most major services found on this side of the lagoon. See Yachting Essentials for more details.
  • Both sides of the island use the IALA-B (green to port) buoyage system.

Security

Overall Crime and Safety

Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, occurs. There have been reports of theft from vehicles, especially rental cars. Armed robberies and tourists being followed by people on motorcycles have also been reported. Burglaries and break-ins are common at resorts, beach houses, and hotels.

Specific areas of concern:

Petty Theft

The main tourist areas are generally safe, but you should take normal precautions. Avoid remote areas at night. Don’t take valuables to the beach. Make sure purses and backpacks are closed and not easy to grab.

Drugs

Used as drug passageway from South America to Europe and North America. Don’t leave bags unattended or agree to carry a package for anyone.

The Airport

The tiny airport is popular with people who like to gather to see planes taking off literally a few feet above their heads. Be aware that getting too close can expose you to jet fumes and the strong winds from the back of a plane can throw you around violently.

Maritime Issues:

Locked dinghy and outboard thefts continue to be a problem in the lagoon, particularly on the French side. Be sure to lift and chain and lock your dinghy and outboard at night and sleep with your doors and hatches locked.

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net provide information by anchorage or by the island. If you experience a boarding, robbery or attack on your yacht or have information about a yachting-related security incident, go to the CSSN homepage and click on the “Report an Incident” icon. 

Reported Incidents:

Simpson Bay, 2018: Crew member shot in hand near Simpson Bay (see report adjacent).

Simpson Bay, Blue Pearl Marina 2018: Boat boarded when occupants sleeping dinghy/outboard, mobiles and laptop were taken.

General Emergency Numbers: For details see General Info.

Be sure to check related security reports for Sint Maarten.

Last updated:  December 2018

Weather

Sint Maarten has a mild tropical climate, with steady easterly trade winds. July to November is the rainy season, while December to June is dry, although conditions vary little, June to November being the hurricane season.

The St Maarten Cruiser’s Net can be heard at 0730 on VHF Channel 14, Mon-Sat, beginning transmission with a marine weather report.

Weather and other information are broadcast on Mike’s (Shrimpy’s) Net, Monday to Saturday on VHF Channel 10 at 0730.

At 0900 Island 92 (91.9 FM) broadcasts a comprehensive marine weather forecast and overall synopsis, repeated at 12 noon.

Meteorological Department Curaçao (MDC)

Provides weather services for Curacao, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and Saba, within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

http://www.antiguamet.com/

Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Office providing public weather forecasts for Antigua & Barbuda, the Leeward Islands and the BVIs.

SMX Cyclone (in French – marine weather & cyclone warnings)

See the Caribbean National, Regional and Island Weather Websites report for more.

For links to free global weather information, forecast services and extreme weather information see the Noonsite Weather Page.

Weather (Dutch Side)

Related Businesses

  • Weather (Dutch Side)

    Address: Sint Maarten,

    Read More

Courtesy Flag

YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members.

YachtFlags.com provides high quality courtesy flags that are manufactured in durable Knitted Polyester fabric. Knitted so that the fabric itself does not deteriorate in the constant movement that marine flags are usually exposed to, and polyester so that the flag does not weaken in the strong UV-light usually found in the main sailing areas of the world.

Use the coupon code NOONSITE_5A2B when checking out to get 10% off today.

Buy Now On YachtFlags.com

Main Ports

  • Ports of Entry: Philipsburg, Simpson Bay
  • Other Ports: Oyster Pond

Places

Sint Maarten,
Click here to view Related User Comments

How to use:

To add an anchorage click on the map to place the red marker. Then, click on the red marker to open the add anchorage window.

Terms of Use

Cookie Policy

Privacy Policy

Countries

Subprocessors

© Copyright World Cruising Club

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.